Mechanical musical instrument.



- J. A, WESQR. MECHANICAL' MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLICATION FILED MAR.2.12. 1910'L 1,088,000. L I Patented Feb. 24, 1914 7 sums-SHEET 2.

@Wi/Mmm:

j@ Ar J. A. WESER. MECHANICAL- MUswAL'INsTRUMBNT..

APPLIOATION FILED MAB. 22, 1910. LOSSOOQ,a Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

.LMKIIHIN '5. A. WESE'R. MEGHAMCAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIGATIO'N FILED KAR. 22, 1910.

e Patented Feb. 24, 1914.

J. A. WESER.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION IILBD 111111.22, 1910.

11,088,000 'Patented 11911.24, 1914 7 SHEETS-SHEET 5A J. A. WESER.

MECHANIGAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.22,1910.

1,088,000. Patented Feb. 24, 1914 7 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

J. A. WESER. MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. APPLIGA'TION FILED MAR. 22.1910.

1,088,000. Patented Feb.24,1914.

7 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

@WH/ww om i holes and the series of small holes close tocitizen of theUnited States, :residing in the -single perforations .in the music sheetand JOHN A. WEBER, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Fei.. 24, 1914.-

Application led Marc1r22, 1910. Serial No. 550,976.

To all w71 om` 'it muy conca/a s Be it known that I, JOHN A. VV nenn, a

borough vof Manhattan ot' the city of New York, in the State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in MechanicalMusical Instruments, of which the following is a specification,reference being .had to the accompanying drawings, forming a parthereof.

This invention relates to mechanical musical instruments the operationof which is controlled automatically by a perforated music sheet, and inwhich the controlling and playing n'ieehanism is embodied in the samecasing with the musical instrument itself, as in player piano, or formsseparate and detachable mechanism, as in a mechanical piano player. Theinvention has been developed with particular reference .to instrumentsof these kinds in which provision is made for the automatic control ol"the expression, as by special perforations in the music sheet; but itwill be obvious, as

this description proceeds, thatI some, at least, of Athe features of theinvention are capable of useful application in subordination to handoperated controlling or regulating devicesand without reference topurely automatic controlling devices. ln accordance with the invention,in two other applications filed on April 3, 1913, Serial Nos. 758,587and 758,588, are shown and described devices which may or may not beused in conjunction with the present improvements and which relaterespectively to an auxiliary perforating device and an expression devicewhereby the air tension in the main wind way may be varied at the willof the operator. Again, the controlling or regulating mechanisms are soconstructed and varranged that their operations are initiated by small,

likewise terminated by small, single perforations, so that the formationin the music sheet oi. long, continuous holes or of a long series otsmall holes close together, is avoided together with the weakening ofthe music sheet and the interference with proper track ing which resultfrom the long, continuous gether. The controllingor regulating meehan isare also constructed and arranged 1n uch manner that while the operationof f i ne of such mechanisms may be initiated ly, itis also possible toinitiate the oper- 1 ation of any group of such mechanisms at the sametime.

Still another feature ot the invention consists in the provision otmeans whereby it becomes possible to effect, through the operation ofotherwise ordinary pneumatic controlling devices, a gradual crescendo ora gradual diminuendo, such pneumatic controlling devices, especiallythose which vary the position of the hammer resi-rail. having actedrapidly heretofore so that2 in holly automatic instruments especially,it has no*` been practicable to make the crescendo or diminuendo sogradual as it should bc @ther features of theA inventicn will bereferred to and the invention will. be Ytulllv explained hereinafterwith reference to the .accompanying drawings in which it is illu-'-trated as embodied and in which-- Figure l is a view in front elevationol' a. player piano to which the invention is applied, the front casingbeing removed and some parts, which are not necessary to anunderstanding of the present invention, heing omitted. Fig. 2 is adetail view illustrating the coinbiinition ot' the music sheetperfor-ating device with the tracker board. Fig. 3 is a detail view insection on the plane indicated by the line S-B-of Fig. 2. looking' inthe direction of the arrows. Fig. a is a top View of a portion of thecontrolling devices shown in Fig. i. Fig. is a view in front elevationof the parts shown in Fig. fl. Fig. 6 is a view, partly in end elevationand partly in section on the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 5,ot the parts shownin Fig. Fig. 7 is a view in section en the planeindicated by the line 7 7 of Fig. 5. Fig. S is a top view oit anotherpart of the controlling devices. ti`ig. 9 is a view in front elevationoi the parts shown in Fig. S. Fig. 10 is a view in section on the planeindicated by the line lO---lO of Fig. 8, a pipe union also beingindicated.

Fig. ll is a detail View in front elevation illu;` rating the improvedtempo controlling devices. Fig. 12 is a' detail view of the rod shown inFig. il and its connecliims. Fig. i3 is a view, partly in end elevationand partly in section, on the plane indicated by the line 13-13 of Fig.i4, of the devices for controlling the movement oi' the hannntr restrail. Fig. la a view in front elevation ot the parts shown in Fig. i3.Fig. l5 is a View in section on the plane indicated y the line 15-15 ofFig. xle. Fig. 'i6 is a top edge view of the bellows shown in Figs. 13and le. Figs. 17, 1S and i9 are respec tively a top view, a view infront elevation and a view in side elevation of devices tor controllingthe vacuum pressure. Fig. is a general, diagrammatic view indicating therelations and connections oliosome of the 'controlling and actuatingdevices.

llEor the purpose of illustration and ein 'planation of the character ofthe invention, it is shown in lthe drawings as embodied in a playerpiano of well known type, which has, in substantially usual arrangementan relation, as shown in Fig. l., an outer casing a, a supporting framea2, hammers as, a movable hammer-rest-rail w* to vary the throw of thehammers, meiner reservoir "bellows, indicated generally at a5, which mayhe operated by the feet of the performer through pedals a, su ementaryfeeder bellows .f which. may operated by a suitable motor, indicated eta8, when the instrument .is to be wholly automatic, player pneumatics,the casing and support of which-is indicated at` a", and a tracker hexam, all with their usual connections and operating` substantially as lor as jor'ih in Letters Patent olf .lnited States lo, 923,225, dated.lune

lne operatum et the player pneumatics is determine: as usual, hy thecooperation of perlloratczgl music sheet o (Figs. "l and monili-1d inthe usual manner, with a .er hoard L Figs. l, il, .3 and 20),

ecker hoard havingports b2 connecti'ln the player pneumatics.. rl`he'tracker i is also provided with ports b3 by is determined the operationof pneucontrfilling devices, hy' which, in turn, determined theoperation of various operating; devices which regulate the windpressure, the movement of "he hamn'icr res-'t rail, the speed anddirection of movement the music sheet, &c., all of such amer-ating` dcces lacing' necessary 'features of a wholly automatic instrument, whilesome or them are necessary or (.esirahle features ol nonautcinaticinstruments, the operation oit which is al least partly under thecont-rol of. the performer, The music sheet is previ d 'with so lalledside pcrt'orations for coteration with the limited number ol ports 7,51at the ends of the tracker hoard 'through which the operation of thesevarious pression devices is initiated. rl`he connections from theadditional or expression ports b3 will he fully explained hereiir alter,so tar as they are involved in the present invention, hut considerationwill he given first to the means whereby the per- -former is enabled tomalte in the music sheet7 at will, wliiatever side pertorations arenecessary to produce any desired er- :tects in the performance of anycomposiworlr' a, linger keys l l l l l l i l l l l l i l l tion, whetherthe operation of the instrument is to he wholly automatic or is to hecontrolled, in part at least, by the per ormer. Such means are shown ina suit ahle and convenient form in Figs. l, 2 and 3, in which there isshown pivoted to the frame of the tracker box, near each end thereof, asprinor lever c which carries punch o by which side perforations may bemade in the music sheet at the will of the performer. For 'facility ,informing the additional side Iperfor-ations, the punch c is arranged toc/perate with holes in the tracker board and preferably, in order toprevent the entrance into the vacuum system of the small bits of paperpunched out, with special holes of, shown in Figs. 2 and f5.

To insure accuracy in placing the additional side perorations so 'thatthey shalll register with the ports in the tracker hoard, the lever isprovided with a guide pin c te cooperate with a plate c4, provided withgage holes c5, and preferably pivoted upon the frame olf the tracker nonso that it may be 'turned up out ol' the Wav, shown at the left hand inFig. 2, or down into operative position, as sho. the right hand in saidligure. The pin c3 is longer than the punch c t the guide pin may heintroduced inte the guide hole before the punch c is permitted to touchthe paper,

lt `will he obvious that the con'ihination means for making with thetracker hoz; or in the music sheet additional perfor-ations, at the willof the periormer, for the pur-- pose of regulating click-expression willlbe of great advantage, even in connection with controlling` andactuating devices as heretofore arranged, but in. view of the l'act thatthrough carelessness an additional. side "perforation `might sometimeshe wrongly placed in the music sheet and ot' the fact L"iat afterexperiment the performer may desire to modify in some respect theexpression ellect which he has previously produced and in view of the desirability oi avoiding; long openings or a longl succession or' smallopenings close together in the music sheet and therefore ot initiatingthe operation oli' any particular expression device by one smallperforation and ot' terminating` it by another small perforation, it hasbeen found desirable, in connection with the perforatingv means7 toprovide controllinia.` devices of such a character that the effect ofthe operation of any 'olf such coiitrollinp; devices can be terminatedat any time after it is initiated, through .he proper placino of anotherperforation in the music sheet, or can be neutralized immediately,before any ctlect is produced,`

through the placing of a perforation in o1 near the same transverselmewith that which may have been wrongly placed'llhe insane@ constructionand arrangement of the 'controllingr devices which permits such resultsto be secured will now be described, par,- ticular reference being hadto Figs. l, 4-10 and 20, 'in Whichsuch devices are illustrated.

The end ports b3, which coperate with the side perforations in the musicsheet, are connected, as usual, with the primaries of the controllingdevices, or, it may be, of the operating devices, such' primaries beingplaced with reference to their respective secondaries in any convenientmanner, be,4 ing grouped separately from the secondaries or in the samestructure therewith as may be most convenient. The first right hand holeZ13 at the left hand endof the tracker board ZJ', for example, is shownas connected by a. tube d (see Figs. 8 and 20) with a primary al locatedin a block (Z, with other primaries, all of which have a commonconnection with the vacuum system, as by a tube ZH The primary ZH is inturn connected by a tube du with a secondary c in a group of secondariesin a common block or box e with a common connection e* to the vacuumsystem. In like manner, the second hole from the right of the same groupof holes b3 is shown as connected by a tube cl2 with a primary d of thegroup d, which inv turn is connected with another secondary of the groupe. The third hole of the same group of holes 53 is shown as connected bya tube da with a union dsx, which is connected by two separate tubeswith two separate pri.- maries of the group d, so that a single per'foration in the music sheet may in this manner be made to initiate theoperation ot' two operating devices.

in order to avoid confusion no attempt has been made in the drawings toillust-rate the connections, all the way through, from all of the holesZ13 of the tracker board to the respective operating devices, theoperation of which is initiated through suoli holes, it being obviousthat suitable connections will be made from the holes b to the primariesd and `from the primaries d to the sccondaries e.

Each of the secondaries e, in the construc-- tion shown, is madesubstantially like a primary, the atmospheric pressure being admitted bythe corresponding primary al, below the diaphragm 621 upon which rests aplunger @22. The latter acts upon a short arm c2"l which projects from apivoted valve e, pressed byl a spring c25 against the face of a board@26 and arranged to cover or uncover` a port 627 in such board so as toadmit or exclude atmospheric Lpressure to or from a conduit e formed inthe' board. Each of the conduits @28 is connected with an operatingdevice as hereinafterl described, so that 'the operation of suchoperating device is controlled by the opening or closing of the port em.The conduit el may also ne connected with a push button or other valveunder the control of the performer, as also described hereinafter, sothat the operation of such operating device may be controlled by theperformer as well as automatically by the music sheet.

The means just described provide for initiating the ope ation ot theoperating` de vices under the .control of the music smeet. The means forterminating the operation of such devices will now be described. iiswill be observed, the values cet aremoved to open the ports e2? by thesecondaries c. The valves e2* arc not moved in either direction bysprings and therefore remain in the posi*- tion to which they are movedby the secondaries'c, with the ports e2T open, until they are restoredto their initial position, clgs-y ing the ports c", by an independentmaster device, the operation of which is also controlled by the musicsheet. Upon the board e2, on which the valves c'24 arel mounted, thereis also mounted a sliding' bar f which barrios pins 7" to cooperaterespectively with the valves c2* and, through the movement the bar f torestore to initial position'such of the valves c as have been .movedVfrom their initial positions by the means already described. The bar fis connected by a link f2 with the movable member of a' bellows jig,

normally expanded by a suitablev springf.

The connection of the bellows f3 lwith the vacuumsysteni. is controlledby a secondary f5, of usual construction, shown clearly in Fig. 7, andthe secondary f5 is in turn controlled by a primary f6, shown as mountedin the box c and connected with the vacuum system.. Admission ofatmospheric pres sure under the diaphragm ot' the primary f6 iscontrolled by the music sheet through one of the holes 53 in the trackerboard and a tube f7 which may form a direct connection between theproper hole b3 in the tracker board and the primary f6. Tlie.ie.l`ore,whenever a termination perforation in the music sheet should registerwith the corresponding duct in the tracker board the operation ot themaster device or bellows is initiated and all of the valves ci which areout ot normal position are immediately rcsurod to normal position.thereby terminating the oneration of all the operating devices whichhave thcretofore been in oliioratiou. 'hat is in operative position. lfthe perforation in the music sheet which initiates the operation of thebellows f1" is in or near th same transverse line as a perforation whichotherwise would initiate the operation ot some one or more of the otheroperating devices, the 'operation oi' such other tmcrating' devicesIwill not bc initiated since tho bellowsv or operating means f3, whichrestores the valves e2 to'nornial position, is more powerful than thesecondaries of the box c which tend to stantrill -1 4: ressens nieve theYalves @24 from normal position. lt will, therefore, be seen that theeffect of any side perforation which may have been )laced in the mnsiesheet is i- "r .makin a perioration tor conitrie bolle-Ws f3 in orslibline therewith. order t the valves e2'1 may also he r 'the controlet the performer a nie- `-lnrnical connection to the slide bar j! ispro- Tirlell, at* shown in Figs, 'l anal 5, the slide Y nectefl througha linl f5, bell j with a bell mank 7 placed lor operation b3; the

e connected with or, it may he, throne-h intlicat il in i, operatdevices, so eration of sich sticos is contbe opening or closing of the@bi/ionsly tt to perform any of the i functions yf-fniolc inl1nstrnnients c the character referred te, are per'lorn'iecl either bypnenn'mlic devices or by the hand of the performer. lt is unneeary, so'tar the present invention is conce ned, to (vijver-athis' devicesfan-:l therefore it has been attempted to show inthe present clrmrhigsthe connections. to such devices only' as are either inrolvetl in the-present invention or serve to il lustrate clearly its operation.Taking; first, for example, the connections shown at the right hand enelof the group oil seconflaries represented in Figs. l, il, 5, G and 20,'the tn', y connecte/l to the air passage 628, shown in the right .hantlportion oit (l, connected, as shown'in Fles. 13, le, 15 amil Q0, tothechaniluin' below the diaphragm of a jo lary pneumatic f7 in a. blockg2, which directly controls, in the usual manner, a bellows ffl, themovable member et which is connected by a link fl with the movablelmininor-rest-ral a4, the resti-ail being nietH able toward the hammers,to reclnce the throw thereof, when the bellows g3 is collajjlsel, antimoving from the hammers1 to permit them to have their Fnll threw, whenthe bellows expanded. ln order that the movement et the rest-rail towardor from the hammers may also be onder the control of the 'g )erformer,independently of the automatic (mer-ation initiated by 'the music sheet,the air passage e (Fig. (l) is also in fact, may be thus provided with aconfec vacuum m in the usual mannerL This ".v connections to all ot`such' tion to means whereby the corresponding operaties" device may becontrolled by 1e ner former independently of the. innsie sheet or,

a will presently appear, Jy some other (len intiepemlently et 'the mnsconch e shown at the s ot l? o, which operates the val e i, to een 4 v0trol the port c" oil: the passage el with which thc tube 75 isconnected, is r Yli conlrolleil, throlr h a t-n'oe by a corresponding`prin'iary dy oi the prinniry board (l, as represented in Fig'. and,poration of tlie primary di* is init-lated tlirmi," :i connection tothe corre lending; (hiet ci' le tracker boar-il by tliie ration ol anel' "ation in the nur," sheet, in, the manner already ile-- scribed.

The pa ige shown in, dotted lines at the luft ot' TiO, G is conne@y Pcilrf a tube Il Yith the char hach o? a eiaplr-i 'in the block .yg/2, thechamber en tlle e .side oit the diaphragm layingconne h the part olE acoloration,

cliaplira 72, is the aclmtln@ device weich, when brought ii. causes thenieren ont of lhe bell graclnal and therefore the crescendo ordiminuendo, effected lm the coin lonlino; movement of the fest-rail, tobe gradual, and this device will non be described. 'When the pneumatic,ff is can i to egg-orale, as hereiz'ilzeine flescrillecl, th

'aennm ein is placed in coninirmication with the bellows y' to ifollapsethe same, thror a channel ir. shown in 13, and a channel fl, amillikewise, atmospheric pressure is admitted to the bellows ,if/3, topermit the same te ex pand, when, the pneumatic. g restored; to normalposition, through ,achai'inel if and a chamber f2.5. ln the hloelr (f2is mounted a sliding valve 7x which has in it a port f1.7, whichregisters .fully i l'i the channel .7a3

-wlien the valve z is in normal position, and

a port ILS' which registers folly with the channel fr* when the valve isin noifial p0- .sitionx W'lien, honfe'rer, atmos'iheric sin-eaclniittecl throirjn the t1 t l the diaphragm il the valve 17s, i`Jnioretl to the right in Fig. i3 so that the channels 7l. and fifipartially, but not entirely, closecl, an adjust-able stop It? beingprovided to limit the movement of the valve 1? so that. the passagesshallnot be. completely closed. This partial closing of 'the passages 7iancl il so restricts the flow of air tln'ongh the passage-s, both fromand to the l that the collapsing or expanding el the bellows, as thecase may be, is slow. The movement. of the hammer-rest-rail in either(lirection is therefore slow and the crescendo or diminuendo iscorrespondingly gradual.

The air passage to which the. tube z, is connected, as abovedescribe'cl,is also con nectet by a tube' 51.10 With a salve Il con venientlyplacecl for operation by the per-l former, so that the performer may atany time admit atmospheric pressure through the tubes 7N@ and 7L to thechamber back of the diaphragm 7L and so cause the movement ofthe bellowsg3 to be slow and the cresciendo or diminuendo to be gradual, regardlessot' the automatic operation of the features initiated" by the musicsheet.

The secondary of the group e through which the operation of the valve72, is controlled is shown in Fig. Q0 as connected by a tubo al with thecorresponding primary and the operation of the latter is initiated fromthe tracker board by a connection the representation of which is omittedto avoid confusion, but will be readilyunderstood,

On the stationary member of the bellows,

g3 is mounted a springspressed valve e' which controls'theY terminal ofa tube z". An adjustable stop' is mounted on the movable member ot thebellows so that when the bellows g3 is nearly collapsed the valve i willbe opened and atmospheric pressure will be admitted through the tube t"to the air passage of the corresponding secondary of the group C, asshown in Fig. 20. The. air passage of' this secondary is also connectedby a tube 3 'with a pneumatic 4, shown in dotted .lines in Fig. 20,which controls the connection of the vacuum system with a small bellows5. The latter, through a suitable connection, ,suchI as the link G andlever 7, operates a valve, not shown, which controls the connection ofthe strong wind or high pressure bellows with the'main windway, as setforth in the Letters Patent of the United States above mentioned No.923,225, so that when. the hammer-rest-rail has been moved toward thehammers to restrict their throw'to the fullest extent to which it isdesirable to restrict the Jthrow of the hammers, a further diminuendo iset fected by shutting olf the strong wind or high pressure andpermitting the further operation of the player pneumatics by the weakwind or low pressure.

7 The admission of airthrough the tube i3 to the controlling pneumatici* may be itself controlled from the music' sheet .through thecorresponding valve e2* and its secondary and primary, as will beunderstood without further explanation.

' In Fig. 20 two other connections from air passages controlled bysecondaries of the group e are shown. One of such connections, "the tube7e, is shown as leading to a pneumatic/c (see Figs. 11 and 20), whichcontrols a small bellows-7a2, connected as usual with the vacuumvsystem. Thel other is shown as connected by a tube with a pneumatic 704which controls an oppositely placed bellows 7*, The riovable members ofthe two bellows are connected a link 7c6, which has a pin 707 standingbetween two springs 7.,8, the function of which is to return the movablemembers of the two bellows and the part which is moved by them to normalposition after they have beenA shifted from their normal position by thecollapsing ot' oneor the other of the bellows. A stationary pin 7dbetween the two springs prevents movement of either of the two springstoward the other beyond its normal position. Admission of atmosphericpressure to the tubes and 7c3 `s controlled by their respective valves@24 which in turn are controlled through the corresponding secondaries eand primaries al from the tracker board, the connection between one of'the secondaries e and its corresponding primary being indicated at e inFig. 20.

The movable member of one or" the bellows 7,.2 or 765 has an arm 791which engages a rod 7c in such manner as to move the 'same in onedirection or the other according to the movement of the operatingbellows. The rod 7c is adjustably connected, through a set screw 7112and a block 7513 with the tempo controlling rod 7c, the linger 7615 ofthe latter entering the block 7cm as clearly shown in Figs. l and 12.The tempo rod 1 is connected in the usual manner with the tempocontrolling valve, being shown as so connected through a lever 7.21, averti` cal roclrshaft 7517, a bell crank 7618', a rod or wire 71:10 andbellcrank .702 with the controlling valve indicated at 7621 (see Fig.l). Relative adjustment of the rods 7u and 7.:14 permits the standardtempo at which the composition is to be performed to be determined bythe performer, while variations of the tempo can be effectedautomatically from the music sheet through the operation of the bellows7a2 and 71:5. lft will be understood that one of the bellows expands asthe other collapses through connection thereof with the vacuum systemand that as soon as connection of the vacuum system to one or the otherof hthe bellows 7172, 71:5, is cut off, the springs 71S restore thenormal tempo.

Still another operating' device is shown in the drawings as adapted tobe controlled through the coperation of the side perforations of themusic sheet with the supplementary holes in the tracker board, thisdevice being adapted to control the air pressure through opening of thebleed valve' openingl and the admission of air into the wind-wav betweenthe motor operated bellows and the main or reservoir bellows. asdescribed in said Letters Patent No. 923,225, with a consequentreduction of the vacuum pressure, the opening of such bleed valve to agreater or less extent, admitting more or less air into the wind-way andtherefore reducing more or less the vacuum which would otherwise beproduced in the main or reservoir bellows by the continued action of themotor operated bellows. The device and its connections are shownparticularly in alsl i es,

Figs. 1, 17, 1S, il and 20. The bleed valve, indicated at m in Figs. l,18 and 20, has connected to it a rod m which hasv fired upon it a seriesof buttons m2 and a button m3. With each of the buttons m2 coper- .atesone ofv a corresponding series oft bellows m", 'uff/m and m7. Theseseveral bellows are adapteh:I when they are collapsed, to pull down therod m and therefore to open the bleed valve m tol diiierent' degrees.With the button ma cooperates a master bellows 'm5 which lifts the rod mand restores the valve m to its normal or closed position after it hasbeen moved by any one of the series of bellows. Each ot the bellows mi,fus, m", m7 and ms is controlled by a correlsponding secondary m9 andeach oli such secondaries m is in turn controlled through a tube m10 bya corresponding primary m11. The operation of each of the latter isinitii ated through a corresponding tube m12, by,

the registration. of one of the side perforations of the music sheetwith one of the corresponding holes in thc tracker board.

. Reference has been made hereinbelfore to the possibility of initiatingthe operation of any group or combination of controlling or regulatingmechanisms, means whereby the operation of any one of such mechanisms,singly, may be initiated through the 'movement of one or any of thevalves e having; been described. In Figs. l, 4, 5, 6 and 2O are alsoshownthe means irst above referred to whereby the operation oi' any ,jroup lor combination of such mechanisms may be initiated withoutinterfering with the initiation of the operation of each mechanismsingly. 'On the board c2 is mounted an 0perating bellows n, theconnection of 'which s with the vacuum system is controlled, in theconstruction shown, through a secondary n connected by a tube n2 withthe primary board (5,/ from which suitable connection is made inf theusual manner to one of the side perora'tionsof the tracker board. Themovable member of Vthe bellows n is connected by a link n3 with asliding bar/1f't mounted in a suitable guide-Way in the board c2 randprovided with pins as n, suitably placed for cooperation with such ofthe valves c2* as it is desired to operate in a group or in combination.The passage of a properly placed perforation in the `music sheet overthe tracker board Will therefore y'initiate the operation of the bellowsn and the movement of the desired group of valves c2* and-therefore theoperation of the desired group of controlling; or regulating mechanisms.It will be obvious that the pins a5 may-be placed in. the bar n* asdesired and also tb at other similar bars n* and operating bellows n maybe provided if it be desired to' provide for the operation of a'plurality of groupsv or combinations. v

The operation of each oi. the several devices which' are either involvedin the invention or serve as illustrations of its application, has beenfully explained in connection with the description of the constructionand arrangement thereof and no turtber eze planation is necessary.

It will be understood that various other devices, the liunctions ofwhich are ivell understood in the art to which this invention relates,might be operated or the operation thereof might be controlled orinitiated through the means which. have been described in detail herein,or through similar means, and that the invention is not limited in itsapplication th the particular devices which have been described hereinnor to the details of construction and arrangement ot the various parts,devices and mechanisms which are involv ed in the invention.

" l claim. as my invention:

l.. In a mechanical musical iuffstrumcr "i, the combination of a seriesot' opcratiiiig devices, a series of controlling devices severallyconnected therewith, a master controlling device relatively more`pmverful than the series oi' controlling devices,l means whereby thecontrolling devices ctt said series are returned to normal position bythe operation of the'master controlling` device, means to initiate theoperation of said controlling devices si; gly, independent means toinitiate the operation of a group of said controlling devices, und meansto initiate the operation of tbc master controllinfn device.

2. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of series ofvalves, a series of pneumatic' devices to shift said valves severally inone direction, bellows and. operative connections for shitting a groupor' said valves in the same direction and devices or initiatingautomatically the opciun tion of said pneumatic devices and of saidbellows.

3. In a mechanical musial instrument,

the combination ol a series or" valves, a series of pneumatic devices toshift said valves severally in one direction, a bellows and operativeconnections for shiftingl a group of said valves in the sainedirectifm-` a bellows and operative connections ttor shitting all ofsaid valves in the opposite direction, and devices for initiating` theoperation of said pneumatic devices and ol said bellows.

4. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a movable restrail, an operating bellows,'ineans to restrict at will the entrance orexit of air to or from said bellows,` a tracker board and pneumaticcle-- vices connected with the tracker board and adaptedto control thcoperation of said means;

5. In' a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a movablerest rail, an operating bellows, a valve to restrict the eutrance orexit of to or from said bellows,

vsaid pneumatic device.

,a pneumatic device t0 actuate said valve and automatic 'means toinitiate the action of 6. In a mechanical musical instrument, thecombination of a movable rest rail, an operating bellows, a valve torestrict the entrance or exit of air to or from said bellows, a.pneumatic device to actuate said valve, automatiemeaus to initiate theaction of said pneumatic device, and an independent hand operated valveand connections to said lpneumatic device, whereby the action of theirst named valve may be initiated automatically o-r by hand.

7. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a movable restrail, an operating bellows connected with the vacuum system, a pneumaticdevice for controllingthe connection between the bellows and the vacuumsystem, a valve to restrict t-he connection between the bellows and thevacuum system, and an independent pneumatic device for shifting saidvalve.

8. In a mechanical musical instrument,

the combination of a movablel rest rail, an

operating bellows 'connected with the vacuum system, a pneumatic devicefor controlling the connection between the bellows and the vacuumsystem, a valve to restrict the connection between the bellows and thevacuum system, an independent pneumatic device for shifting said valve,independent pneumatic controlling devices for said pneumatic devices andautomatic means to initiate the action of said controlling devices.

9. In a.' mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a movablerest rail, an operating bellows connected with the vacuum system, apneumatic device for controlling the connection between the bellows andthe vacuum system, a valve to restrict th(l connection between thebellows and the vacuum system, an independent pneumatic device forshifting said valve, independent pneumatic controlling devices for saidpneumatic devices and a tracker board and connections 'therefrom to saidpneumatic controlling devices to initiate the action thereof.

1 0. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of a vacuumsystem, a movable hammer-rcst-rail, `an operating bellows operativelyconnected with said rest-rail and itself connected with the vacuumsystem, a. valve to control the vacuum pressure in the vacuum system, apneumatic controlling device for said valve, a pneumatic controllingdevice for said operating bellows, a valve controlling the admission ofair to said last named controlling device, and means controlled by themovable member of said bellows to shift said last named valve, wherebywhen the rest-rail has been moved to a given point the saine expressioneffect is continued by cont-rol of the vacuum pressure.

This specification signed and witnessed this 21st day of March A. D.,1910.

l JOHN A. WESER.

' Signed in the presence 0f CONRAD HARRIS, W. H. KEATING.

